Draft-rigging for railway-cars.



No. 784,610. Y PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

M. ZIMMERMAN.

DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS. APPLICATION FILED D120. 31, 1904.

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v 1 N N N 5 s kgrfizizt "o m H I x N '3 H I q 3 Q w W R I q JZo 5.? r5 Z 6'? mermag PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

R. M. ZIMMBRMAN. A DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLIUATION FILED DBO. SI, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFIQE.

DRAFT-RIGGING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,610, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed December 31, 1904. Seria No. 239,152.

To all whontit may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. ZIMMnRnAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Rigging for Railway- Oars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of draftrigging having front and rear plates adapted to be mounted between the draft-timbers of a car and having spring mechanism yieldingly connecting such front and rear plates in such a manner that the movement of either of such plates away from the other will be against the tension of the spring mechanism and yieldingly resisted thereby.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient draft-rigging for railway-cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft-rigging for railway-cars having front and rear plates movable withrelation to each other, with suitable spring mechanism for resisting the movement of either of such plates away from the other and suitable means for readily connecting such plates movabl y with relation to the draw-bar, so that the pulling strains upon the draw-bar will be communicated to the front plate and from it to the rear plate through the medium of the springs, and the buffing strains or force applied in backing the car communicated directly from the draw-bar to the rear plate and from it by means of the spring mechanism to the front plate. I

A further object of the-invention is to provide in a draft-rigging for railway-cars suitable means for yieldingly connecting the drawbar with the draft-timbers or car in such a manner that the connection between such parts is exceedingly yielding to the initial application of force to the draw-bar and becomes gradually more and more rigid at a rapidlyincreasing ratio during the continued application of force. p

A further object is to provide a draft-rigging with suitable means for yieldingly connecting it with the draft-timbers, and thereby with the car, whereby such connection yields readily to the initial application of force to the coupler and becomes more rigid during the continued application of force ata greatlyincreasing ratio until any desired amount of force is applied which is necessary in operation and without finally or at any time becoming actually rigid, and whereby the tension of the springs diminishes rapidly with the removal of the force, so as to minimize the recoil.

()ther and further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a-draft-rigging constructed in accordance with my. improvements, showing the manner of mounting the parts in connec-. tion with the draft-timbers of an ordinary railway-car; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the draft-rigging with the parts removed from their position with relation to the draft-timbers; Fig. 2, a modified form of coupler-neck and draw-bar or two-piece draw-bar; Fig. 3, a sectional detailed plan view of the spring mechanism connected to the front and rear plates and draw-bar, showing the washer and lugs for connecting the draw-bar with the front plate; Fig. 4, a transverse elevation in detail, taken on line at of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing a front View of the front plate; Fig. 5, a transverse sectional elevation in detail, taken on line 5 of Fig. 1, showing a rear view of the front plate and the manner of mounting the springs therein and also the manner of connecting the washer with the lugs upon the draw-bar; and Fig. 6, a detailed view in elevation of the washer for connecting the draw-bar with the front plate.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that it is very desirable to provide suitable means for forming a yielding connection between the coupler and the drafttimbers or car, whereby the coupler is adapted to yield readily to the initial force applied thereto and to become more rigidly connected at a rapidly-increasing ratio as the application of force is continued. It is also desirable that the connection be yielding no matter how much force is applied and that as little recoil be permitted as possible.

In constructing a device in accordance with my improvements and adapted to accomplish the above purposes I provide a car having suitable draft-sills a and end members 6, which may be of any ordinary and wellknown construction. Metallic cheek-plates 0 are mounted upon the inner sides of the draft timbers and provided with studs (Z, which are countersunk into the draft-timbers, all secured firmly in place by means of suitable bolts (2 and nuts f. The upper edge of each of these cheek-plates is provided with an inwardly-extending flange g, and movable flange or track portions bare secured to each of the cheek-plates, at the bottom edges thereof, by means of bolts and nuts 7'. Suitable lugs 71:, Z, m, and a are provided at the desired points and integral with such cheekplates, forming spaces therebetween for permitting the necessary movement of the front plate 0 and rear plate p between such lugs. These front and rear plates 0 and j) are slidably mounted between the cheek-plates and movable into and out of engagement with the lugs therebetween. The front plate is composed of a central or body portion having a vertically-elongated central opening q therethrough, and an upper clip 1' and lower clip 8, provided with hooked portions (6 and a, respectively, are secured one at the top and the other at the bottom of such central portion of the plate by means of beaded bolts 0, nuts w, and cotter pins 7 When in position, the hooked portions of each of these clips engages a slot 2 in the side of the central portion of the plate. The rear plate is identical in construction with the front plate, except that it has no perforation or opening 1 therethrough, but has a central socket 3 for admitting the end of the draw-bar hereinafter described. Adraw-baut extends through the vertically-elongated opening q in the front plate and has its rear end movably mounted in the socket 3 of the rear plate. Upper shoulders 5 and 6 and lower shoulders 7 and 8 are made, preferably, integral with the draw-bar and of such dimensions as to. pass through the opening in the front plate. A washer 9,having an elongated central opening 10 of the same dimensions as opening (1 of the front plate, is mounted between these lugs on the draw-bar and in engagement with the rear side of the front plate, so that the draw-bar is free to move rearwardly with respect to the front plate, but is held from moving forward with respect thereto when such washer comes in contact with the plate. Lugs 5 and 7 are provided with perforations l1, and the washer is provided with a perforated lug 12, a suitable bolt 13 being mounted in such lugs for preventing the washer from being rotated to a releasing position by the vibration of the parts in operation or from any accidental cause. The front and rear plates are yieldingly connected with each other by means of retractile springs 25, each of which is provided with upset end portions 26 at each end thereof in engagement with the outer sides of the plates, respectively. The ends of the upper pair of springs extend through openings between the upper clip and the inner portion of both front and rear plates, and. the ends of the lower springs extend through similar openings between the lower clips and the central portion of both front and rear plates, respectively, such openings being at a sufficient distance from the center of the plates to permit the springs to be normally curved. The springs are curved until their central portions are out of alinement with their end portions a distance substantially one-fourth the length of the active or flexible portion thereof,-as shown in Fig. 2. In other words, the springs are normally curved in the form of a bow, so that they extend outward from their central portions toward each end at an incline substantially to the point of connection with the front and rear plates, and their end portions extend substantially in alinement with each other through the front and rear plates, their central portions being entirely free. By this arrangement the movement of such plates apart will tend to straighten the springs, and the tension of the springs will become greater and the connection between the plates more rigid at a rapidly-increasing ratio as the application of force tending to separate the plates is continued. in fact, the increase of rigidity is substantially at a geometrical or at any rate a rapidly-increasing ratio, so that the initial application of force meets with a very yielding resistance and the continued application thereof with a yielding but far more rigid and rapidly-increasing resistance, and the recoil is consequently very slight.

In assembling the parts the washer 9 is placed in position rearward of the front plate, so that the elongated opening of such washer registers with the opening in the front plate, which is of substantially the same shape. The draw-bar is then inserted through the opening in the front plate until its rear end is in position in the socket portion of the rear plate and its lugs 5 and 7 have passed through the opening in the washer. The washer is then turned a quarter-turn and secured to the lugs, so that it will prevent the forward movement of the d raw-bar with relation to the front follower-plate when in engagement with such plate and will permit the rearward movement of the bar against the tension of the spring when desired. The draft lugs which engage the front and rear follower-plates are between such plates and engage the inner sides thereof.

The draw-bar or rear extension member of the draw-bar is provided, as shown in Fig. 2, with a connecting stub-yoke 14:, having ICC hooked portions 15 adapted to receive and sesurely hold the shouldered tail end 16 of the coupler-shank or front draw-bar member 17, such connecting-yoke being secured to the tail end of the coupler-shank or front drawbar member by means of suitable rivets 18 or any other well-known means. The couplerhead or coupler 19 may be of any ordinary known construction, and the neck or couplershank 17 may also be in the form of any ordinary known draw-barsuch, for instance, as that known as the Master Car-Builders or M. C. B. coupler-shank or draw-bar. The yoke above described is adapted to secure such common type of coupler and couplershank or front draw-bar member to the rear draw-bar members, forming what may be termed a two-piece draw-bar.

A. modified form of coupler-shank or neck and means for connecting the coupler with the rear draw-bar member may be provided in the form shown in Fig. 2. In this modified construction the rear draw-bar portion or member instead of being provided with a stub-yoke has a neck portion 20 and a suitable shoulder 21, and the coupler-neck or front draw-bar member is provided with a socket portion 22, adapted to receive the neck 20 between the opposite sides thereof. A locking-pin 23 extends through such neck and yoke or socket portions, each of which is perforated for the purpose of receiving it, and is secured in place by means of cotter-pins 24 on the opposite sides of the yokeor socket member or by any ordinary and well-known means.

I prefer to make the draw-bar in the form of a front and rear member connected together rather than to make both front and rear portions in one integral piece secured directly to the coupler-head.

I claim-- 1. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draftlugs secured to the car structure, front and rear plates movably mounted in engagement with such draft-lugs, and spring mechanism secured to both of such plates and yieldingly connecting them together.

2. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, front and rear plates movably mounted in engagement with such draft-lugs, spring mechanism yieldingly connecting such plates and yieldingly resisting the movement thereof away from each other, and a draw-bar in op- 'erative engagement with such plates and adapted to be connected with a coupler.

In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the ear structure, front and rear plates movably mounted in engagement with such. draft-lugs, spring mechanism yieldingly connecting such plates for holding them yieldingly against movement away from each other, a draw-bar in operative engagement with such plates and adapted to be connected with a coupler, and means for removabl y securing the draw-bar in operative engagement with the plates.

4. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, front and rear plates movable into and out of engagement with such d raft-lugs, and retractile springs each having one end connected to the front plate and the other to the rear plate and yieldingly holding such plates against movement in a direction away from each other.

5. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, front and rear plates movable into and out of engagement therewith, a draw-bar in operative engagement with such plates and adapted to be secured to a car-coupler, and means for securing such plates together forming a yielding resistance to the movement thereof in a ,direction'away from each other.

6. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of cheek-plates secured to the car structure and provided with draft-lugs, front and rear plates slidably mounted between such cheek-plates, and mechanism connecting such front and rear plates and forming a yielding increasing resistance to the movement of such plates away from each other.

7. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combina tion of cheek-plates secured to the car structure and provided with draft-lugs, front and rear plates slidably mounted between such cheek-plates, a draw-bar connected with such front and rear plates, and spring mechanism connected to both front and rear plates connecting them yieldingly together and providing a yielding increasing resistance to the movement of the plates in a direction away from each other and to the movement of the draw-bar with relation to the car structure.

8. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, a draw-bar movably mounted with relation to such draft-lugs and adapted to be secured to a carcoupler,and front and rear plates mounted respectively forward and rearward of the draft-lugs in operative engagement with such draw-bar and draft-lugs and movable away from each other by means of the draw-bar.

9. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, a draw-bar movably mounted with relation to such draft-lugs and adapted to be secured to a car-coupler, front and rear plates mounted in operative engagement with such d raw-bar and lugs and movable away from each other by means of the draw-bar, and spring mechanism connecting such plates and holding them yieldingly against movement away from each other and forming an increasing resistance to such movement and to the movement of the draw-bar.

10. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, a draw-bar, a front plate having an opening for admitting the draw-bar therethrough 1n movable engagement therew1th,a rear plate mounted in engagement with the rear end of the draw-bar, mechanism secured to the drawbar and in engagement with the front plate for securing such draw-bar in position, and spring mechanism connecting such front and rear plates together.

11. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, a draw-bar, a front plate having an elongated opening for admitting the draw-bar in movable engagement therewith, lugs mounted upon such draw-bar, and a washer movably mounted between such lugs and the front plate, for holding the draw-bar in position.

12. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination of draft-lugs secured to the car structure, a draw-bar, a front plate having an elongated opening for admitting the draw-bar bar, and spring mechanism connecting such.

plates together and yieldingly resisting the movement thereof away from each other.

ROBERT M. ZIMMERMAN. Witnesses:

WILL W. W101i, FRANK W. IIETTIOH. 

